We all hate taxes - they cut into our paychecks. There are federal taxes, state taxes, city taxes, state sales taxes, county sales taxes, property taxes for schools, for parks, for zoos. We can't choose what taxes we pay or how much we want to pay. We have to pay them or we'll go to jail.
So if you're a politician who wants to get elected, you don't need a step ladder to pick the fruit that is promising tax cuts. Republican candidates for governor are harvesting that, floating the idea to eliminate income tax in Ohio.
To discuss the latest, we turn to a panel of Statehouse experts: Reporter Jo Ingles from Ohio Public Radio, Jake Zuckerman from Cleveland.com, Ohio State political scientist Herb Asher, and former state legislator Gene Krebs.
The panel also tackles an energy bill moving through the Statehouse that most everyone is happy about. The bill is designed to help Ohio adjust to a sharp increase in demand for electricity. New data centers and advanced manufacturing factories require a lot more power. The bill would make it easier to build new power plants.
It includes provisions that make it tougher for utilities to increase electric rates and tack on fees to customers' bills. It eliminates those subsidies to old coal plants that were in the scandalous nuclear bailout law. And it ends direct subsidies to some solar energy projects.
Snollygoster of the week
Former Sen. Sherrod Brown announced this week that he is forming the Dignity of Work Institute. When you think of an institute, you typically envision old white men wearing tweed jackets and bow ties, sitting in high-back leather chairs and contemplating the world. But you don't generally picture men and women wearing Carhartts.
Anyway, this institute aims to better understand the lives of American workers. It will poll workers, interview them and conduct other research.
It's part of Brown's effort to bring both parties to a better understanding of the working class. And it's part of Brown's effort to remain in the spotlight while he figures out if he wants to run for governor, U.S. senator, or maybe even president in the next few years.
If you have a suggestion for our "Snollygoster of the Week" award, a question or a comment, send them to snollygoster@wosu.org.